Rock drilling apparatus



Feb. 22, 1944. 'N MoRlssETTE ROCK DRILLING APPARATUS Filed sept. 2, 1941 m m\ s 5 uw wm,\ NN mw Q Patented Feb. 22, 1944 OFFICE ROCK 'DRILLING APPARATUS Napoleon l Morissette, Haileybury, iOntario,

` 'Canada 'Application September 2, 1941, Serial No. 409,216

(Cl. Z55-72) V2` Claims.

This invention relates to a diamond drill with expansion shellor reamers which renders possible the drilling from the surface of the earth to solid bed rock in whatever thickness or `diversified Astratath'ere may be, and in such a manner that the hole is made 'to Ajust the right size" to allow the casing pipe to follow immediately behind it 'either through earth, ground, stone,

boulders, hard-pan or whatever may be-the interlying material `between'the surface andthe solid `rockto be rea'che'dand to whatever'distance into the` bed rock is necessary 'to seal the casing into the bed rock. l

A further object o'f the invention is the ,pro-

vision of an 'improved method of and apparatus l for operating pilot bit` and `expansion shell directly from the end of a regular diamond drill rod which is directly connected to suitable machinery at the `surface and as the operation proceeds downward the casing pipe follows the Apilot bit and expansion shell, thus preventing to a maximum degree the hole from deviating or olfsetting from its straight course.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a method `and apparatus whereby no rope or guide or instrument is necessary to lower the pilot bit and expanding shell other than lits own drive shaft whichis a regular drill rod operating inside of the pipe casing which remains stationary, that is without rotating, it being held fast in every respect except for a downward straight movement following the advancement of the pilot bit and expansion shell.

Various other methods have been employed for drilling and reaming holes with casing pipes from the surface to the solid bed rock which have employed and used a rope or cable or harpoon to lower the pilot bit and expanding shell with subsequent trouble in pulling up the cable that lowered the bit and expanding shell, which could not be used with the present method as the regular diamond drill rod only can be used as a drive shaft to actually operate same.-

Other methods have also been devised whereby it is necessary to rotate the casing pipe using it as a drive shaft causing innumerable difliculties in gradually enlarging the size of the hole, wearing oif the casing pipe, causing the casing `to become loose in its hole, thus making it deviate from the straight line with the fatal consequences of often losing a Yhole and numerous other inconveniences appertaining to methods which have to rely on any tool or apparatus which vis not self-contained and directly `conn'ected to the drill rod as in the present instance.

A further novel feature of this invention `i's that the 'casingjpipe remains stationary,that'is to say, does not rotate'and is not used 'as'a drive shaft 'for the pilot bit and "expanding `shell `and itsonly movement is downward on being pushed down "by a proper mechanical device so as :to

yhave the casing just follow the expanding shell,

thus eliminating wear of the casing and mini- `rnizing tothe largest possible extent theloss jof holes.

Another effective and novel feature of iny-invention is that the expandingjshell Vis held in place by a lug on each cuttertting into a groove .in shell body and interlocking Vby means of an adaptor screwed on the end of expanding shell body so that no clogging takes place in the expansion shell whilst in operation and 'same is always fully protected in its operation `with the further provision that the expanding cuttersV can-- not become loosened or displaced by any interfering material whilstithe drilling 'operation is going on.

Other novel features are that the cutters of the expanding shell at the top are faced with fa cam plunger, thus providing immediate operation from the drive "shaft or regular dril1 4rod the moment the pressure lis applied'to the fac'e of the pilot bit and causing the lcutters to expand to the required size. to allow the casing pipe to follow down as the drilling or boring goes down.

Furthermore the samecam effect is at the top of the expanding cutters so that when the drive shaft `or drill rod is pulled up it causes the cut'- ters to retract in the slots provided -for same iin shell body but always remaining fixed in body by means already explained, thus making it an automatic operation of expanding when downward pressure is applied and contracting when pulling up without additional mechanism whats ever.

Other novel features and further objects vof the invention appear from the description to follow.A

.In the drawing, wherein like "numerals of reference indicate `correspondingfparts `in the variious gures;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross section of a drill made in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, onaslig'htly-enlarged scale, of apart ofthe drill.

`Referring now by numerals to the drawing, `Il)V A is aftubular member or barrel,'being.adapteiiat it'simmer or `operatiwe end to removably receive a conventional 'diamondpilot drill bit i3, so that on its inside face to removably receive the reduced lower threaded end 2d of the cutter-holding body I5. The reduced portion 2i) carries in its longitudinal axis a tubular member or'pipe 2| which may be termed a pilot core tube, the

component part 50, is formed with an enlarged inwardly threaded socket 54 adapted to removably receive the threaded end of a conventional rotatable drill rod R, so that the plunger may be imparted a rotary movement with the rotatable drill rod when in operation. To impart a rotary movement to the barrel Ill by and with the plunger d6, while permitting the latter to he moved axially in the barrel to either actuate the cutters outwardly or to enable theV cutters to be retracted within the body I of the barrel, the plunger is suitably splined to the barrel. Conveniently, keys 54A may be inserted and locked in slots 56 made made into the plunger member 50.

lower end of the tube being formed with a ange or shoulder 22 countersunk into the'lower transl verse end face of the adaptor and, preferably, secured thereinas by welding (not shown) or otherwise, so that in eiect the tube 2| is preferably an integrati part of the cutter-holding body I5. The upper end of the body I5 is formed with a reduced threaded portion 2H adapted to be removably secured to the adjacent cr lower end of the tubular extension or member I6. The upper end of the lextension I6 is internally threaded to removably receive the adjacent orVv lower reduced threaded end 25 of the barrel top connection II.

`The cutter or reamer-holding body I5 is provided with a 'number of longitudinal slots 26, preferably equallyspaced around the periphery of the body, adapted to receive the diamond. `cutters or reamers 28.

The cutter 28 may be formed substantially as shown in Figure 1, having an inner face or edge 29 terminating at the upper en d in an outwardly directed face ror cam portion 3b, and an outer diamond-studded cutting face 3il. The lower end of the cutter is formed with a circular or substantially circular portion 32 forming a hinge which is journalled in a substantially semi-circular shaped recess 34 formed into the outer face of the reduced end of the cutter-holding body I5 and in a similarly formed semi-circular shaped recess 60 formed into the upper end or edge of thewall of the adaptor Id, .all as best shownin Figure 1. The cutters will then turn on the axes of the hinge portions 32, respectively, to the extent to which they are permitted to turn. The upper end of the cutter is provided with an upper cam face 36 terminating in a lug or limitingv stop 40 adapted to determine the outward swinging movement of the cutter by the engagement of the lug with the inside face of the wall of the body I5, at a point adjacent the lower end of the associated slot 2%. Y

The cutters or reamers 28 are actuated outwardly into their intended operative or eifective position (shown in Figure 1) by the action of a plunger 46 axially movable in the longitudinalY axis of the barrel II'I, more particularly by the engagement of the bevelled or cam end IIB of the plunger with the cam face 30 of the cutter as the plunger is moved toward the lower end' of the barrel.

The plunger may be conveniently made of two parts, a lower tubular member or portion 48 and an` upper member 5I), preferably threaded together as at 5I. Preferably, a suitable lock nut 52 is used as shown. The upper endY ofthe plunger, more particularly, theupper end of the C is the casing, to be lowered to the solid rock through the overlying strata or overburden. As seen in Figure 1, the casing is of a slightly larger inside diameter than the outside diameter of the drillproper or more particularly, of the barrel and pilot bit, so that the casing will lower or follow thedrill proper just behind the reamers or'cutters, as the drill proper gradually lowers or sinks intojthe overburden. The lower end of the casing is formed with a bevelled'edge or cam face 58 adapted to engage the cam edges 3S of the cutters to force same to be retracted or swung inwardly, when free to do'so, that is when the plunger has been moved axially away from theV pilot bit, as when the drill proper isbeing hoisted'up or withdrawn rornthe drilled andY reamed hole.

The axial movement of the plunger in the barrel is determined" by the engagement ofthe lower end of the plunger with the adjacent upper face 5I of the adaptor I6 and (preferably) by the engagement of the upper end of the lock nut 52 with the lower or adjacent end of the barrel top connection I'I. The maximum axial movement of the'plunger in the barrel should be just suiiicient to allow the cutters to be retracted to inoperative position within the holding body I5.

' Operation The drill (with casing C therearound) is op- 4operative or cutting position. As the pilot bit I3 bores a hole and the reamers operate to enlarge the hole, the casing gradually sinks, or is gently forced down, iny the reamed or enlarged hole. When the hole has been drilled to the required depth, say to solid rock, and partly thereinto if desired, the drill is hoisted or raised out of the hole. As the drill is being so raised, the casing remaining stationary, the lower bevelled edge 58 of the casing is engaged by the cam portions 36 of the reamers, and the reamers are swung inwardlyto inoperative or retracted position within the cutter-holding body I5, thus allowing the drill to be removed out of theA hole.

What I claim is: l

l. In a device for making a hole and sinking a vlining therein, the combination of a rotary drill saidvdrill whensaidV ireamers. are freerofsaid plunger, and a casing freely mounted around said drill operable when moved axially of said drill toward said reamers, as when lifting said drill in the hole, to engage said reamers and swing the same inwardly to inoperative position thereby allowing said casing to sink into the reamed hole while said drill is free to be lifted out of the hole, said drill having a longitudinal core bore and a tube in part defining said bore and forming a slide bearing for one end of said plunger.

2. In a device for making a hole and sinking a lining therein, the combination of a rotary drill including a plurality of reamers pivotally mounted in said drill to be actuated outwardly to operative reaming position to enlarge the hole bored by said drill and including a plunger operable to actuate said reamers outwardly to reaming position, said reamers being adapted to swing inwardly to inoperative position within said drill when said reamers are free of said plunger, and a casing freely mounted around said drill operable when moved axially of said drill toward said reamers, as when lifting said drill in the hole, to engage said reamers and swing the same inwardly to inoperative position thereby allowing said casing to sink into the rearned hole while said drill is free to be lifted out of the hole, said drill including a tubular portion and a removable adaptor co-operating with said portion to form semi-circular recesses, said reamers having end semi-circular lugs removably journalled in said recesses.

NAPOLEON MORISSETTE. 

